1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a heel element for footwear, and more particularly to a resilient heel device for athletic footwear designed to provide a secure anatomically appropriate fit for a larger range of foot sizes and shapes.
2. Background of the Invention
The design of most athletic footwear is directed to its performance and takes into account the intended use of the shoe such as the type of activity or playing surface. For example, mid or high top ankle collars are provided for activities that may involve jumping so as to stabilize and support the ankles of the wearer. Likewise, the degree of cushioning is determined by the intended activity, and outsole treads are selected for the type of playing surface for which the shoe is intended. These performance related determinations are important parameters for footwear design, but they have generally not included considerations for the fit of the shoe on the wearer's foot.
Fit is somewhat of a subjective criterion since each wearer will find comfort in varying degrees of tightness about the foot. There are fit criteria that are more objective such as the measured length of the foot and the measured width of the foot at various points. The width measurement is usually taken in the metatarsal region which correlates to the widest portion of the foot. Most footwear fitting is done with only the single width measurement at the metatarsals. Even though the human foot is a complex engineering marvel with a great degree of variability from person to person, conventional fittings only use that single width measurement.
For the most part, athletic footwear has been designed for the anatomy of a man's foot of statistically average dimensions. This statistically average man's foot generally has larger proportions such as a higher or thicker instep, wider overall span and a larger and wider heel, as compared to a large number of people with narrower or thinner feet with more variance between the forefoot width and the heel width. Footwear sizing is generally based on statistical averages of measurements, often of male feet. The same proportions are generally scaled up or down linearly or evenly to provide all shoe sizing for a given manufacturer. Half of the population, namely women, have feet that will vary from the statistical average man's foot to a greater degree, and a shortcoming of this approach is the failure to recognize the different anatomical proportions of a woman's foot as compared to a man's foot. Although width sizing helps with fit, the overall proportions of a shoe designed for a male foot does not always provide the best fit on a majority of female feet. This is also true of many male feet that do not fall within the statistically average proportions.
The variability in feet even within the same size is a fact recognized in the footwear industry. This explains the plethora of footwear accessories such as insoles, pads, clips, inserts, etc. that are sold to enhance the fit of shoes. All wearers, and particularly women, spend extra money on these types of inserts and devices to try to make existing shoes fit better. These types of devices can themselves be the cause of problems and even lead to injuries such as abrasion and blisters, particularly when used in athletic footwear in which the user subjects the shoes to higher impacts, quicker stops and starts and turns as compared to dress shoes. It would be advantageous to provide a shoe that can fit a wider range of feet anatomically so that reliance on add-on accessories such as heel pads and clips can be eliminated.